| SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS
Air travel is not just a popular means of transportation to many Jamaicans but also an integral part of the day-to-day lives of many. Whether for business or pleasure, persons travel by aeroplane to foreign countries and also to other parts of the island on a daily basis. For the most part, the popularity of this mode of transportation is due to its ability to significantly reduce travel time, thus making it very convenient. However, Dr. Rebecca Tortello in her article Wings to Fly states that, “Jamaicans have long been drawn to the thrill of flight.”
Planes from all parts of the world travel to the island daily, coming to rest at one of the two international airports. Carriers to the island include American Airlines, Air Canada, B.W.I.A, Spirit Airlines and British Airways alongside our national airline, Air Jamaica; all adding to the picturesque scene in the Jamaican sky. It is safe to say that most living Jamaicans were born in the post-aviation period and so it is easily taken for granted that planes were always around. However, this is not so.
Though no one knows exactly when the first aeroplane came to Jamaica, the first documentation of any plane in the island was that of Capt. Holland from Canada whose seaplane was landed off the coast of Port Antonio in January 1930. This visit generated a lot of curiosity among the locals, many of whom crowded the landing area in order to get a glimpse of the plane which he later flew to Kingston. The fascination with aeroplanes grew and led to several failed attempts by Jamaicans to make and successfully fly one. However, it was Lionel Densham, who finally succeeded in flying an aircraft after having failed several times before.
Pan American Airlines was the first international airline to come to the island. The airline was interested in using Jamaica as a stop over on their Miami to Panama flights. The first flight from Miami arrived on December 3, 1930 in Kingston Harbour. There were no passengers on this flight; the plane brought only the crew and the island’s first air mail. However, on December 7, 1930, the first Pan Am passenger flight arrived in the island carrying 22 passengers to the island. Over the next year, Pan Am carried a total of 434 passengers on the Miami-Kingston-Panama flight. These flights encouraged many visitors to the island which also resulted in a prosperous trade for local craft vendors who would row out to the planes in canoes to sell their wares to the visitors.
Planes stopped landing in Kingston Harbour when the Palisadoes Airport was built in 1941. The airport, which is now named Norman Manley International, was originally a naval base which was built during World War II. A few years later, the Montego Bay Airport, which is now the Donald Sangster International, was built. It was first used as a landing strip for the United States army during World War II.
The national airline began operations in 1966 as a result of an agreement between the Jamaican government, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British West Indian Airways (BWIA). It began with two routes, Jamaica-New York and Jamaica-Miami. By 1969, operations expanded with the assistance of Air Canada which provided pilots, top management, equipment, technology and training. The airline was renamed Air Jamaica Limited and new routes were opened to facilitate more travel to and from the island.
 Over the years, Air Jamaica has passed through the hands of several owners, however, it is now being operated by the Government of Jamaica. It has a fleet of 16 planes which ply 19 routes independently and 8 through code share agreements with Delta Airlines, Air Canada and Caribbean Star Airlines. The airline is now responsible for the majority of passengers and air traffic to and from the island and continues to soar to new heights.
References
Senior, Olive, Encyclopedia of Jamaican Heritage. St. Andrew: Twin Guinep Publishers Ltd., 2003.
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From Legs to Wings: Development of our means of transportation. An article in Planters’ Punch 1935-36.
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Wings to fly: History of aviation in Jamaica: Part II. The Gleaner, Monday, January 2, 2006, pg. A2
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www.jamaica-gleaner.com
- http://en.wikipedia.org
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